St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-12
A DIPLOMATIC INSULT
To England and the United States
BY Germany.

Special to the Globe.
SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. ia dis
patch, which was received here last
week from Melbourne, announcing the
fact that Germany had effected the
overflow of King MaletiOa, of Samoa,
created a good deal of feeling and sur
prise here. Berthold Greenbaum, ex-
consul to Samoa, expressed the opinion
that Germany's action in the matter was
one of the heaviest diplomatic insults
that this country or England could re-
ceive. He takes the opportunity to eX-
onerate his action under similar circum-
stances by relating a bit of recent his
tory. He first makes the statement that
the treaty between England, Germany
and the United States with reference
to Samoa provides that, in the
event of the government of Samoa be-
ing at any time in difficulty with any
nation in amity with the United States,
the Samoan government then reserves
the right of claiming the protection of
the American flag. He then continues:
when, three years ago, Admiral
Knorr, with three powerful ships of
war, manned by 1,500 sailors, was in
the king, Tamanese, exactly the same
kind of an outrage that the Germans
have to-day perpetrated upon Maletioa,
l, after a most careful Interpretation
of the treaty, aud acting for the honor
and dignity of the American flag, re-
sponded to the call of the Samoan gov
ernment, and extended to it the pro-
lection of the stars and stripes, at
the same time giving formal
notice to the British and German con-
suls. My action was indorsed by Mr..
Reese. attorney general of New Zea-
land, in Samoa at the time and approved
by Sir George Gray, governor of New
Zealand, and the entire Antipodean
sentiment. That my action did have
Immediate effect may be cited from the
fact that as soon as Admiral KnOrr saw
the
UNITED STATES FLAG
floating over the island he at once gave
notice to his consul. DIR. Stadel, that he
must withdraw from further demonstra-
ton, as the matter had assumed Seri-
Gus diplomatic aspect. Three hours
later the German fleet had left the har-
Dor of Apia and was on the way back to
Zanzibar. The government at
Washington did not countenance
my action, and President Cleve-
land, in his annual message,
remarked that he was recalled on ac-
count of being over jealous, but the
very thing l did at that time to uphold
the interest of the United States in
station which l have designated as the
Malta of the Pacific, has been acted
over again, but this time, the German
flag is flying and the stars ard stripes
are down." In answer to the inter
rogatory as to whether Bismarck was
personally interested in Samoa, he re-
piled: 81 will tell you, as | Informed
the state department, of a general ru-
NOR that Bismarck is largely interested
in the German commerce of the South
seas. He tried hard after the failure of
the company for 100000 marks to have
the German imperial government adj
vance another 100000 and take con-
trolling interest in the whole
of the company's South sea
island station for security.
but the bubble burst in the German
reichStag and the chancellor'S intended
poSitionin the matter was vigorously
assailed and shown up by Sonneman,
representative from Frankfort, and
Banberger, of Mayence. The English
government would not, at the time, lend
its hand to the line of action by which
my own cOuntrymen were readily
duped, but Bismarck did not rest until
he had made clean sweep of the con-
sular representatives at Samoa and OBJ
tained a fresh deal, which has allowed
him to act with increased impudence
and immunity"